Godly Parenting
ICS Daily Devotions
Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
If we look at different passages of the Bible, God has expectations of the father. One key leadership role of a man in the house is to ensure that he manages his family well. This means teaching and guiding his children to be respectful and well-mannered in both speech and actions (1 Timothy 3:3-5).
The discipline, instruction, and training of the children do not rest on the responsibilities of their church teachers. The primary responsibility of ensuring the children are taught the ways of the Lord lies with the father, who is the spiritual head of the household, with the mother being the partner in this ministry.
Firstly, God did not ask us to teach them a religion. They will grow tired of a religion filled with rituals and legalism, and when they get older, they will be lured away by the world if their relationship with God is merely a form of religiosity. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God, which begins with accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Thereafter, it is essential to teach them the importance of attending church on Sundays to worship as a corporate body of believers and listening to the preaching of the Word, making it a priority in their lives.
Secondly, we need to model for them the importance of spending quiet time with God on their own. Before they are six years old, we can model for them by reading the Bible to them before bedtime. When they can read, we can ask them to read passages from the children’s Bible. Thereafter, we can ask them what they would like to pray about, for friends, classmates, family members, and for themselves. This way, we can teach them how to pray and witness God answering their prayer. It teaches them faith and dependence on God, casting our cares upon Him, because He cares for us. Over time, it will develop into a relationship with God. Once this close bond is established with God and with their parents, there is nothing that they won’t share with them when they are at different stages of their lives, because it has developed into a lifestyle.
Thirdly, we need to teach them to understand God through the Bible, which acts as our measure for values. We should teach deeper Christian principles as they grow older, focusing on what is non-negotiable for believers and what we stand for as Christians. We should encourage them to read up on what the Bible says about topics that are being taught at school. It will also promote understanding of the differences between biblical teachings and the values promoted in the world.
Lastly, we must remember that rules without the foundation of unconditional love and effective communication will cause our children to become defiant. Our children will only listen, obey, and honour us willingly if they know that it comes from parents who love them unconditionally and have their best interests at heart.
Sermon Series: Dads for Life
